


Secret Research of Dr. Jemma I'm-Romantic-Like-Hell Simmons

by Aretsuna



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Romance, TFSN monthly prompt, after season 3, how scientists flirt, just once, math jokes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 07:12:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7257706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aretsuna/pseuds/Aretsuna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You think I’m not romantic? Just watch me!” aka Jemma tries her best to prove to Fitz just how romantic she is. With science!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secret Research of Dr. Jemma I'm-Romantic-Like-Hell Simmons

Jemma Simmons, double PhD, respected scientist and proud feminist, had always liked romance. It wasn't something most people attributed to her, it wasn't something easily noticed, but it was true all the same. Call it her guilty pleasure, or a soft spot, but she always found a beautiful kind of peace while listening to stories about love. Whether it was about an Asgardian warrior falling in love with life on Earth, or about a maniac who found his /only light in the darkness/; there was something in those stories, something about a tiny piece of goodness hidden even in the worst of places, that gave her hope and joy.

Which was why when her boyfriend, the man she loved so much she sometimes felt like she was going to burst with that feeling and spread it all over him until he fully believed it, told her she wasn't romantic, she just had to prove him wrong. Maybe she wasn't the best at expressing her feelings, maybe she got excited over things other people found alarming, and maybe she didn't know much about how to show her love, but she excelled at preparation and she was going to do it. For Fitz, she would do her best  at being the most romantic girlfriend in the world. It shouldn't be too hard of a task, given that it was only recently in human history that relationships were started by choice and not arranged for political or social benefit.

Sure, Jemma knew that love wasn't a competition, that trying to outdo Fitz in the romance ranking was not a way to win anything. But the score between them was too uneven. She spent a lot of time trying to make sure that it wasn't her desire to excel in everything she touched that was motivating her actions. _No,_ she finally decided, _not this time_. For once she didn't want to win, she didn't want to be the best, or be praised for her accomplishments. Not this time, not when it was about him. What she wanted was for Fitz to feel loved: as loved and appreciated and cherished and desired as he deserved, as valued and happy as he made her feel every second since they got together. Fitz simply deserved the best of the wonderful thing that was romance, and she wouldn't be her romance-loving and Fitz-loving (amazing how well those two mixed) self if she wouldn't do her best to give it to him.

At the very least she had to, simply _had to_ , give back some of what she was so beyond happy to receive from him. Beyond anything, she wanted to give him something great in return. She wanted to appreciate what they had and for her love to fill him to his toes, to make him feel just like she did thanks to all his gestures, both great and small. She was so grateful for all he’d done. All the early morning cups of tea made exactly how she liked it. All the encouraging smiles in the lab. All of the looks full of wonder he gave her, as if she was the most wonderful creation in the world. All the soft touches when she needed support. All the care when she was busy and exhausted. All the laughter when she needed to relax and stop worrying. All the warmth in cold evenings, all the cuddles that kept the fear of the future far away from her mind, guarded by the safety of his arms. Fitz made her so happy it was unbelievable and she wanted him to feel the same, not to raise his eyebrows at her in surprise when she told him she wanted him all to herself for a surprise relaxing week on a beautiful island.  

Strong in her resolve, Jemma did what she always did - she prepared. Setting a goal was easy: convince Fitz she was the most romantic girlfriend ever and he was the most loved man ever in ten days. Preparation, as always, started out as a pure joy. There were so many sources to research - psychological articles, romance novels and movies, even dating websites. She dove right into it, reading tip after tip, case after case. It was only when she compared her notes that the first problem appeared - the tips were excluding each other. While all of them stated that the art of wooing should be suited to the suitor and the person of his/her affection, all of the tips were simply stating the most cliched actions. That wouldn't work. Not when it came to someone as amazing and extraordinary as Fitz.

The key to romance, Jemma figured, would be unpredictability and individualism. She couldn't just go to the nearest flower shop and buy a dozen red roses for Fitz (and not only because there was no flower shop anywhere nearthe base). It was way too predictable to work. _You want to do something for your love but have no idea? Buy flowers!_ Jemma Simmons was better than that. Another thing about flowers was that there was nothing unique about them. There was no reason to buy Fitz some plants that would eventually die, not when he didn't like them in particular. It had to be something specific, something that would show him how well she knew him and how she accepted him and loved all his tiny quirks, even if they sometimes drove her insane.

 _When in doubt, turn to science_ , she told herself. It was their thing after all, something they had shared from the very beginning. They met in a lab, they kissed for the first time in a lab, so maybe her first step on the road of wooing should be made in a lab too.

That way of thinking was what made her check out cheesy science pick-up lines and throw away dozens of sheets of papers with notes like "You're hotter than a bunsen burner set to full power" in the trash bin. They were cute and nerdy, just like Fitz, but still lacking something, some originality and intimacy, some secret value that would be just theirs to share. Something that would make Fitz sure that it was _her_ who came up with the idea, not some Cosmo writer.

It hit her when she was cutting some brains, Fitz casually and completely not by coincidence staying on the other end of their lab. It had everything: the science, the originality, the intimacy and the power behind the simple gesture. All she needed to do was dissect something. Something good. Something so good it would keep Fitz away from their lab and let her work in peace.

After very pointedly cleaning her dissection tools and putting them all in neat order near the table, after assuring Fitz that _no, there's no need for your expertise_ and _you can go and mind your engineering business and help Mack with something_ , Jemma quickly started preparing a sample, a dead body on the table covering her actual work space from anyone who would try to peek in from the corridor. It was a job which required focus and precision and she was glad for Fitz's squeamishness, which would keep him out of the lab for at least a few hours.

The next day, everything was set and ready, the table in the lab as pristine as Fitz liked it best, no organs or blood in sight. Jemma was so excited that she barely could hold the tiny secret to herself, impatient to see Fitz's reaction, wondering whether she would succeed in making him happy. She almost blurted _"I've got something just as amazing for you"_ when he handled her a cup of perfect tea with a scone in the morning. She almost dragged him straight to her desk right after he entered the lab. She couldn't focus on her work for two hours, constantly wondering whether she could move to the next part of her plan a little faster and anxious that Fitz would notice something was off and the surprise would be ruined. Finally, she gave in.

"Fitz, could you help me?" she asked after putting a brand new sample under the microscope. "I could use a second pair of eyes on something I made yesterday," she explained, content that she managed to keep her voice calm and professional. Technically, she was not lying, after all.

"Ugh, Jemma, is it something from the dissection?" His face twisted, repelled by the mere idea of it, not moving even a step closer. "I'm sure you're good with that, of the two of us you're the expert in biology."

"Oh please Fitz, you really should see it," she pleaded. Maybe the dissection had backfired as a perfect cover - Fitz certainly wasn't eager to uncover her secret. "Come on, it's just one sample."

His arms slumped in resignation and he grimaced as he took another hesitant step, slowly moving closer while clearly engaged in and internal fight between being grossed out by whatever kind of bloody horror awaited him under the microscope, and answering Jemma's call for help. Clearly his desire to fulfill her wish won, because he took a shaky breath and steeled himself, bravely diving in to see what was hidden under the microscope's eye. Jemma saw the moment he saw her gift painted on his face, how his muscles switched from determination and resolve into surprise, the slight furrow of his brow almost immediately melting into something softer and warmer, something that she longed to see so much. Something that filled her with warmth. She wanted to keep that emotionon his face forever, to rediscover it again and again, every day for the rest of their lives.

"Jemma?" he whispered, not taking his eyes from the view she’d presented him with. "Is that...?"

"The very first sample of Inhuman cells successfully recovered and unswayed from Hive's infection," she stated, trying not to sound too smug.

"Yeah, but you've..."

"Signed it, of course. It has all the most important things plainly written down there."

Fitz looked up with a grin so wide that it was contagious, and Jemma instantly caught it, her lips also twisting in a smile.

"So..." She took a step closer to him. "What do you think?"

"I think," he said, catching her hand in his and pulling her closer, "that it's quite romantic." Her heart fluttered with a mixture of love, happiness, and pride. He smiled and kissed her lightly. _Too_ lightly if one asked her; the kiss was just a light peck because clearly Fitz couldn't shut up and stop being dorky when he was happy. "I mean, which guy wouldn't want his name written with some dead tissue," he smirked, and winked at her. She laughed as a wave of pure joy was added to her happy mixture of feelings. "Not to mention that you've scribbled right over a truly history-changing sample. That also happens to be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s property."

"It's not like it's a secret," she pointed out, and tried to kiss him again, but he clearly wasn't done with his flirty banter.

"I can't believe my eyes. Jemma Simmons, destroying a scientific sample at her workplace. You’ve become a rebel."

"Just this once," she promised, and finally kissed him in a way that made him speechless for a long moment full of adoration and affection.

She was sure that Coulson wouldn't be mad for too long, and history could mind it's own business for all she cared at the moment. Just this once, in the name of love, she was more than happy to put graffiti on an important scientific evidence. Fitz was absolutely worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thanks to [EclecticMuse](http://archiveofourown.org/users/EclecticMuse/pseuds/EclecticMuse) for beta reading! 
> 
> For those who didn't have limits (I mean the mathematical ones) at school, the meaning behind Jemma's "signature" is that she loves Fitz until infinity/ her love for him is limitless. I tried to make the graphic as an actual microscopic sample but after googling tissue I saw the pictures and well, let's say Fitz is not only one who doesn't exactly like biology. So we have esthetic clean glass as a background instead.
> 
> Thanks for reading, your feedback gives my joy ;)
> 
> This story might get continued if inspiration hits me, but for now it's just a one shot so I mark it as complete.


End file.
